The Relationship Between the Internet, HTML, and CSS

Every day I use the internet to shop, work, watch videos, and explore online. I have learned many things to fix issues I come across by searching online and finding help through forums, but I never stopped to think about how the internet worked. Many people have dealt with routers and setting up WiFi, but I do not think they take time to think about how the websites were created. As a teacher, we talk about digital literacy and identifying good versus bad sites based on the content, but how did that content get there?

Through the courses I've taken, I've learned more about the internet and the complexity it presents. 4Geeks Academy presents a good introduction about the internet in the video and connects information about HTML and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets). He uses the analogy of building a house and explains that HTML provides the blueprint for the house and CSS gives the style and design. While you can have a website that is HTML-only, websites appeal to more people and are easier to use when combined with both.

I can see the appeal especially when there are different ways to add CSS to the HTML language. One of the ones I found most favorable would be an external CSS because it can be referenced in many different webpages and separate the content from the design. If I complete an external CSS, it is its own file and has the design of how the website should look. I can change and tweak the design without having to go to each page and changing the HTML. I only need to change one file. This would save time and make it easier when using the internet because more items added to the site can also slow the loading time. Since HTML and CSS uses a common language, it provides better integration across the internet because the code is the same when machines have to read and interpret it. This type of standardization can be important when users use different types of computers, programs, and software to access the internet.

Is Platform Standardization a Problem?

While there are many new innovations and platforms in development, the question arises about standardization and if that is a bad thing. In the '90s, Microsoft created the standards for PC and had 97% share of the market. According to the article, "The End of Standardized Platforms", there are five main operating systems ( Windows, OS X, iOS, Andriod, and AOSP) but "no single standard computing platform". We now have a variety of devices such as PCs, tablets, and smartphones that each run on its own software. If you have a PC, it is usually Windows from Microsoft but there are still Apple and Chromebooks. If you use a smartphone, most use an Android or iOS software. There is no standard but competition between the companies make them create similar features that users like.

In a market driven by consumers, I think they drive the standard of expectations people want from a product and its abilities. If two companies can make a product do the same thing in different ways, the consumer would focus on which is easier to use and the cost that went into the product. I do not know if there will be a standardized, open environment for operating systems because of the capitalist society we live in, but we do see some of the seredipity reached through the many types of browsers people can use based on how they want to use the internet. There is a vast variety of internet browsers out there based on a person's interests and needs. I think this provides a better experience on how the access the internet and many are made to work across all platforms. This is one of the few ways to use a standard browser across all platforms if I wanted to use and Apple or Microsoft device.

An article that I found insightful is from Livewire about "The Top Ten Internet Browsers of 2022". It gives information about why it is the best in a category so users can see what many fit their needs. If someone if focused on security, privacy, or all around, it gives a different browser for each one.

While there may not be a set standard, there are expectations that consumers have for their products based on their needs. As people become more aware of how the internet works and conveys information, the need for privacy and security becomes a bigger concern. Not many people are familiar with HTML and CSS, so they rely on web-building services and other platforms to create and design their websites. These sites have to be compatible across many devices otherwise users will not find the value in the service. I think this creates a standard of use and expectations for many companies in the tech sector. It is a field that will grow over the years with the many new tech innovations and uses that the users discover.